Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother, ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large extended family living in the Clayr's glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight, the ability to See into the present and possibly futures, that is the very birthright of the Clayr.

Your Likes make Audible better!

Publisher's Summary

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother, ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large extended family living in the Clayr's glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight, the ability to See into the present and possibly futures, that is the very birthright of the Clayr.

Nonetheless, it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies. She must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil, one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clayr, and threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny.

In Garth Nix' Lirael: Daughter of the Clayr (2001), the second novel in his Abhorsen trilogy, Touchstone and Sabriel are now the King and Abhorsen (anti-necromancer) of the Old Kingdom lying north of the Wall that separates their land of magic and pesky undead from the world of machines and countries in conflict (reminiscent of our early 20th century world). And things are not well in their Old Kingdom. An unknown "Enemy" is manipulating Necromancers into attacking villages with bands of undead "Hands" and "Shadowhands," while at Red Lake something ominous is happening that even the clairvoyant women of the Clayr are unable to see.

All fourteen-year-old Lirael wants is to gain the Sight like the other girls and women of the Clayr. Her black hair and brown eyes already mark her as too different the others, while her father is unknown and her mother abandoned her when she was a little girl. And each year on her birthday Lirael has grown older without gaining the Sight while increasingly younger girls have come into their own. Luckily, she is given a job as Third-Assistant Librarian in the nautilus shell-like ancient library of the Clayr, which suits the increasingly anti-social and magically curious girl. But poor Sameth, the teenage son of Touchstone and Sabriel, is pulled out of his elite boarding school south of the Wall and returned to the Palace at Bellisaere, where everyone expects him to train to succeed Sabriel as Abhorsen, when he is physically and mentally unable to even touch the Book of the Dead. Instead, he prefers fabricating magical "toys," like a nifty flying, mosquito-eating frog. Both young people are good young adult fantasy Ugly Ducklings: they believe that they are flawed and cannot fit in and yet are really gifted in ways destined to become appreciated.

Despite his young protagonists' morose moods, Nix writes his novel with humor and imagination. He has carefully constructed his magical world, in which most of the Free Magic that randomly pulses everywhere is ordered by the Charter, a seemingly infinite set of marks a bit like Chinese characters which adepts write on paper or in the air to make magic. Necromancers bypass the Charter to tap into Free Magic to do unnatural things like transform dead people into cannon fodder minions, while Charter Mages access it to protect the Kingdom, and the sole Abhorsen walks into Death (leaving his or her frosty body behind in the world) and then rings any of a set of seven bells to force the undead back down through the gates set in the river of Death till they reach their proper state.

Nix has great fun with that setting, imagining various nearly sentient magical books, constructs, sendings, spells, and artifacts. The most enjoyable such magical things in the novel are a pair of droll and mysterious talking "pets," the hungry, spunky, and loving Disreputable Dog, and the sarcastic, cynical, and sleepy white feline Mogget, both of whom are much more than they appear to be. The great thing about it all is that Nix often describes the magic with magical prose, vivid, sensual, and sublime, to evoke a sense of wonder, beauty, and terror (which are nearly absent from YA magical fantasy like the Harry Potter series).

Take, for example, the time Lirael loses control of a spell and "She tried to scream, but no sound came out, only Charter marks that leapt from her mouth towards the golden radiance. Charter marks continued to fly from her fingers, too, and swam in her eyes, spilling down inside her tears, which turned to steam as they fell." Even when nothing magical is happening, Nix may summon magic, as when Lirael is exploring the Library and finds herself in "a vast chamber, bigger even than the Great Hall. Charter marks as bright as the sun shone in the distant ceiling, hundreds of feet above. A huge oak tree filled the center of the room, in full summer leaf, its spreading branches shading a serpentine pool. And everywhere, throughout the cavern, there were flowers. Red flowers. Lirael bent down and picked one, uncertain if it was some sort of illusion. But it was real enough. She felt no magic, just the crisp stalk under her fingers. A red daisy, in full bloom."

And at his best, Nix writes suspenseful scenes that develop his world and characters and excite the reader, as when Lirael meets a stilken (a woman-shaped Free Magic entity with silver eyes and arms as long as her legs ending in the claws of a mantis), or when his heroes sail beneath a mile-wide bridge-city and are targeted by a crossbow bolt shooting assassin and a fiery Free Magic and swine-flesh construct masquerading as human.

When I read Lirael several years ago, I found it overlong and burdened by mopey characters, but I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the audiobook version, largely thanks to the virtuoso reading of Tim Curry. He deftly balances on the Edge of Too Much, reading with infectious relish lines by foul necromancers gloating over how they're about to kill you or Disreputable mongrels getting ready to sink their teeth into your calf to snap you out of your funk or snarky magical cats asking for fish after just failing to help save your skin. And isn't there a hint of Dr. Frank N. Furter in his Mogget?

Sabriel is a fresher and more self-contained book, whereas Lirael really makes part one of a duology completed by the third volume in the "trilogy," Abhorsen. But fans of imaginative and dark young adult magical fantasy and of Tim Curry should enjoy this book.

This thread of the story is close enough to Sabriel to be an old friend, but far enough to be new and interesting. Excellent as sequels go, Lireal doesn't burden the returning reader with reruns of Sabriel. It's a great stand-alone story, too. Tim Curry is the kind of narrator who could enthrall by reading a cereal box.

Although I enjoyed the story -- a little disappointing that it wasn't a direct follow-on to the first story, but interesting none the less -- it almost seems like the author was feeling depressed, even despairing, while writing this book. A bit too much wallowing in self pity by the main characters for my taste. I've bought the next book, since I'm interested in the story, but I'm hoping there will be less slogging through morasses of "how horrible it all is! whatever will I do?" from the protagonists. I wanted to tell them to "snap out of it!" and to tell the narrator to just skip a few dozen paragraphs and get on with it. The first time I've wished for an abridged version of anything!

If you read or listened to Sabriel (the first of this series), I would heartily reccomend that you listen to this book as well. The story is not as fast paced as the first, but the characters come alive during the course of the story. Sam and Lirael are both flawed, but that is what makes them interesting and real.

The ending will certainly leave you wanted more, but luckily the next book in line is waiting for you to download. Ah...The information age when everything you want can be instantly granted for you. Happy Listening.

It was delightful to revisit the series that my twelve-year-old self counted as my absolute favorite of all time. I cannot think of a more talented or appropriate narrator for this book than Tim Curry. Between the excellent prose and Curry's performance, this familiar coming-of-age tale took on a new level of greatness. What I love most about Lireal is Nix's ability to portray a strong, but fallible human being who goes through the same insecurities that we all face while taking on impossible odds. The world of fantasy constructed by Nix is further explored and illuminated in this novel, and if anything, this sequel is better than its predecessor, Sabriel, which is also excellent. I would recommend it to readers of all ages because this book, and series, is one of the most artfully crafted, enthralling, and lingering fantasies I've ever encountered.

I loved every minute of this book. The characters were just jumping out at me and as crazy as it sounds even 'Dog' was believable, but I guess that is just one of Garth Nix's gifts. He has an amazing way of making magical things seem absolutely lifelike. If you liked the first book 'Sabriel', I urge you to continue with the trilogy and give this one a shot.

I liked this story! Maybe not as well as the first and the third, but I really felt sorry for Lirael. She really seems an outcast, and maybe a little whiney at first until she creates/obtains her "dog" companion and becomes a little more independent and adventurous. Sam is a little too scarred by his encounter too. The second half of the book is much better than the first.

Tim Curry as usual is fantastic! I actually had to get this one and the third because once I start a "series" I have to finish. I'm glad I got this one, it is probably not my favorite in the series because it has a hanging ending, but since I could immediately go to book 3 it was OK. ;-)

Where does Lirael rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Lirael is one of my favorite Audiobooks, the narration by Tim Curry cannot be topped, he can do gymnastics with his voice.

What other book might you compare Lirael to and why?

Possible spoiler:I think that I maybe can compare her to Sansa Stark in the Song of Ice and Fire series. They both annoyed the heck out of me at the beginning. While Sansa's story is still being written, I feel she is becoming a strong courageous young lady just like Lirael. Both Sansa and Lirael are full of self-loathing, self-doubt, and are treated poorly by the world around them. Lirael beautifully overcomes this and I can see Sansa overcoming her struggle similarly.

Which scene was your favorite?

Liraels first interactions with the disreputable dog.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and it doesn't hurt that I could listen to Tim Curry day and night.

Lirael takes too long to grow the character into adulthood. But its a necessary read betwewen Sabriel and Abhorsen. Listen and move on - Abhorssen is better - moves faster and all the plot lines started here resolve.

Having loved the books I got these audio versions and haven't been disappointed! The narrator does a fantastic job and I have had many happy hours listening! Already listened to them all twice! Fantastic!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ian

SheffieldUnited Kingdom

2/16/09

Overall

"Excellent part of the trilogy"

We loved Sabriel, and embarked happily on Lirael. It's a good book, and a vital part of the trilogy that culminates with the brilliant Abhorsen. Of all the three, though, this one dragged a tiny bit in places... particularly with the drawn-out angst of Lirael and Sameth as they discover their identities. Still, an excellent book and a guarantor of quiet and happy car journeys.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

D'Arcy

nr London, UK

8/2/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"As good as the first time..."

Fabulous narration and a wonderfully compelling story. Garth Nix is a master of his art.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Remi

7/23/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great book"

Excellent to listen to keeps you gripped and I never wanted to stop listening to it

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Samuel

6/25/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Brilliant!"

It's a great listen, finished in two days as I couldn't stop! Love Tim Curry's ability to maintain different characters personalities, continuing from Sabriel.I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy and has the imagination to live in Garth Nix's old Kingdom!Currently downloading Abhorsen, the third book in this fantastic series.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

MS KERINA HANSON

5/3/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great listening"

Kept me enthralled to the end - now to download the next book. Narrator also makes the story a good listening.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Ariadne Jones

Essex, England

12/23/12

Overall

"One of my favourite books"

Out of the trilogy, I really enjoyed Lirael and the disreputable dog and their adventures in the library. I wish Garth Nix would write more in this genre for people like me who will always be 17 in their head.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Report Inappropriate Content

If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Your report has been received. It will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

Can't wait to hear more from this listener?

You can now follow your favorite reviewers on Audible.

When you follow another listener, we'll highlight the books they review, and even email* you a copy of any new reviews they write. You can un-follow a listener at any time to stop receiving their updates.

* If you already opted out of emails from Audible you will still get review emails by the listeners you follow.